


ghosts that we knew

by lovesynlikeasin



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Adult Content, Carrows Reign at Hogwarts, Draco Malfoy in the Muggle World, Evil Twins, F/M, Fugitives, Graphic Description, Mental Health Issues, Muggle Life, Muggle/Wizard Relations, On the Run, Parenthood, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Post-War, Redeemed Draco Malfoy, Redemption, Secret Identity, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms, War, Wizarding Wars (Harry Potter)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-12
Updated: 2020-04-03
Packaged: 2020-06-27 03:40:33
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,194
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19782499
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lovesynlikeasin/pseuds/lovesynlikeasin
Summary: Hermione Granger, workaholic witch with unhealthy coping mechanisms is suddenly faced with a past enemy, Draco Malfoy, whom have been missing for several years. Everything in the witch's life is turned upside down when evil is lurking right behind the corner.





	1. Cousin Jill

**Author's Note:**

> But the ghosts that we knew made us blackened or blue  
> But we'll live a long life
> 
> And the ghosts that

Hermione Granger unlocked her door and stepped inside her empty apartment. She was tired after a long day at work. It was a busy time of the year and she didn't know whether to regret or not that she had planned to use her week off to visit her cousin. Hermione might of been a busy woman but she was stuck on never leaving her muggle life nor her muggle family out. Which was why her apartment looked like a typical muggle apartment and why there were a plane ticket lying among old papers on her table. 

It had taken Harry, Ron and the rest of the Weasley family months of convincing to make the brown haired gryffindor agree to take some time off. Hermione hadn't really wanted to. There were far too many tasks left unfinished and she hated the mere idea of leaving with incomplete work. She didn't really know why she eventually caved. Maybe it was Mrs Weasley's pleading look, or her own parents obvious approval of the idea that caused it. A bit of both. 

Truthfully, they did have a point. She desperately needed it. After becoming an auror, she could basically count on one hand how many days she had taken off. And it was usually around Christmas she would force herself to leave work a day or two. 

She was exhausted. Just a constant state of exhausted. There were always so much happening and they still hadn't located every Death Eater, and certainly not all of those that been secretly working for Voldemort. 

Her cousin, Jill, lived in the United States. Of course Hermione could floo over the sea or use any other sort of magic ways to get her ass across the ocean but it had been far too long since the last time she used the muggle way and somehow she found herself missing the horrid airports and the tight space on a airplane. It was funny that way. It would probably sound obscure to anyone else but for Hermione it sort of peaceful. Beside, for once no one knew her. After the war, especially, Hermione Granger had rather little privacy left. No matter where she went, someone always wanted to speak with her. Sometimes it was nice to be able to be out in public but still maintain her privacy.

Visiting her cousin proved to be good for her worn out self. She felt her spirit lift up as they were using the days to relax and just do fun things. Muggle things, fun things, tourist things. All of which Hermione dearly missed. Beside her cousin didn't roll her eyes or groan when Hermione would spew out facts about everything they went to see. It felt nice to refresh her muggle knowledge as well. Obviously most of her attention went to the wizarding world. It was a part of her job as an auror but it was also something she just couldn't let go off. The urge to read, to learn, and of course to teach. Even if she had politely turned down the offer, she had been delighted when McGonagall wanted her to teach at Hogwarts. Maybe when they were finally finished cleaning up the scrambles the war had left. 

Even now, five years after Voldemort's defeat, the aftermath of the war was strong. Families had not only lost loved ones, but some had traumas which would never vanish, some families had lost all they ever had. Voldemort might of lost the war but the pain he had forsaken caused people to wonder sometimes. How much of a victory was it really? 

In the midst of Hermione's brain falling into the dark pits within her mind, Jill spoke, and the curly haired woman blinked confused. Jill only shook her head with a light smile. While she had no knowledge of what had happened, Jill could see that something had hurt Hermione, killed some of her spark.

"I only wondered if you wanted to go see a movie. Apparently Princess Diaries is playing in a couple of hours. If you can stomach watching a girl's movie." Jill laughed gently and Hermione lit up. By a witch's standard, Hermione was good at doing muggle activites but the truth was that there was only so much she had time left for considering her busy work schedule. "I'd love to, Jill. I haven't been to the cinema in ages." She couldn't actually recall which movie she last saw, but what she could recall was the magical feeling from it. How weird that may sound. 

To no surprise the cinema was crowded, both with adults and a great deal of children. Hermione shouldn't be surprised as they did chose to attend a family showing. Her and Jill was busy collect exactly what candy they wanted to bring and perhaps it was due to Ron and Harry, but over the years Hermione had grown into a bit of a sweet tooth. She found herself eating far more sweets than her parents recommended. Hermione, however, was obviously pretty good with dental hygiene and didn't really suffer any issues with it.   
"I just can't choose." the curly haired witch sighed laughingly. Jill snickered, while having her arms filled with a particulary large amount of sweets. Maybe being a sweet tooth was a matter of family trait. 

"Hurry, dad! We need to get candy before it's too late." a young child, perhaps four or five, shouted ecstatic. Hermione couldn't help but smile at the sight. The little girl was wearing a princess dress, a crown on her long blond hair. In her hand she was frantically waving one of those children's wands. The type with a plastic star at the top. She was an absolutely adorable little girl and the witch could only giggle at the wand. Twenty years ago, she could of been the exact same kid. A wand in her hand, certain that she actually could perform magic, wearing huge princess dresses. She had to admit that those gorgeous blond locks of hair most likely were a little more charming than her own bushy brown hair. 

The pair went to pay for their sweets, and Hermione couldn't keep the smile from her lips. She really lit up at the sight of that little girl. She recalled when she first discovered magic. No matter the hardship her magical abilities had brought into her life, Hermione treasured her magic far too much to ever consider that maybe it would of been for the better if she never had been a witch. During the war, the gryffindor had encountered more than one muggle born witch or wizard which almost seemed to curse their own magic. Had they never been born like this, they would never have to endure the war. 

After they both paid, they made their way to the correct screening hall. Hermione and Jill chattered, reminding each other of all sorts of mischief from their childhood days. Jill had been the type of cousin that had brought out the mischief in Hermione. They would always have a great time and their parents would sigh and secretly laugh at the two kids.   
As they entered the hall, and found their seats in the far back, Hermione spotted the little girl once more. This time she was pulling on a hand. Probably her father. 

Hermione gasped. Loudly.   
As the person holding the girl's hand came in view, Hermione found herself in utter shock.   
Those cool grey eyes. There was no mistaking it. The apparent father of that adorable young girl was Draco Malfoy.


	2. The cinema

_"Draco Malfoy is missing. Suspected murdered." - The Daily Prophet_

_"Among the unaccounted for Death Eaters, the young Malfoy heir is still missing." - The Daily Prophet_

_"What Happened to Draco Malfoy? The mystries surrounding the sudden disappearance of the young Death Eater." - The Daily Prophet_

_"Draco Malfoy; Alive or dead?" - The Daily Prophet_

It was as if Hermione's heart stopped beating. Draco Malfoy. Slytherin Prince. Death Eater. Alive. How could it be? 

The brunette slumped down in her seat. It was as if all her energy was drained from her. She didn't know what to do. Draco Malfoy was a wanted man. During their sixth year, he all of sudden disappeared. No one, as far as she knew, had heard from him since. He had disappeared without a trace. The Daily Prophet had published articles about him for years now. 

Hermione knew what she should do. Her brain was screaming at her. This was Draco Malfoy, whom had bullied her without mercy throughout her school years. This was Draco Malfoy, whom wore the Dark Mark and had done far too many horrible things. He was a wanted man for god's sake and here she sat. Unable to do a thing. Her body had gone numb. 

Perhaps it was how she saw the young girl happily chattering with the Malfoy heir, maybe it was joy that shone in his eyes as he chatted back with the girl. Something in her couldn't bring herself to do that. Not now. Later. Certainly. Beside what could she do? The room was full of muggles. She couldn't risk exposing the wizarding world. 

The movie started but Hermione was unable to focus. Her head was spinning. The truth was that seeing Malfoy brought back too many memories. The first time he called her a mudblood. How her heart had clenched and she had wanted to throw herself off a cliff in that very moment. The effect of his slurs wore off after some years, as her own confidence grew. But it hurt. Nevertheless it always hurt. 

Then there were all the rumors after he had vanished. After the war. People stood forward, claiming he had tortured them. People claiming they had seen him kill. Some accusations there were few proofs off, but some of them, oh damn, the evidence pile was large. 

This man was walking around like a free man and it made Hermione sick to her stomach. She wish she had never seen him. Hell, a part of her wished he was indeed dead. How could a monster like him walk around, all free, looking so content with his life.  
The young girl didn't quite grasp the concept of remaining silent during a screening, and several times Malfoy seemed to tell her to quiet down. In a manner that would make Lucius Malfoy frown probably, Hermione caught herself thinking. 

Lucius Malfoy had been killed during the war. He had thrown himself into a battle with the worst odds, probably in a last desperate attempt to get back in Voldemort's good graces again.  
Narcissa Malfoy also crossed the witch's brain. How had she managed? She had lost her family. Or maybe she did know where Draco was. She would have to be a good actress then. Because she had convinced the ministry that she knew of nothing. And quite frankly, she played the part well too. She was apparently rarely out of their manor, and the whispers were saying that she was becoming weirder and weirder, colder and colder. The Black blood in her wasn't doing any good. 

It must be a cursed blood, the one of the noble and most ancient house of Black. The fates serving it's keepers rarely were any good. Those few with good heart's seemed to have an overly premature death and everyone else slowly seemed to drown in madness. In that way Narcissa had stuck out, because despite being a proud, fierce pureblood, with obvious questionable morals, she had never appeared mad. Her sister yes, but never Narcissa.

As people laughed and enjoyed the movie, Hermione felt her heart pound, and she was so torn between what to do. She was certain that hadn't been for the girl, she wouldn't of doubted what she was supposed to do. But she couldn't bring herself to do it. She should notify Harry and Ron at least. But that idea brought a heavy feeling to her guts as well. She needed to know more. She had to know more. Who exactly was that young girl. Was she the reason Malfoy disappeared? Hermione almost snorted at the thought. Draco Malfoy putting someone else above himself? Unthinkable. 

Yet by watching the two interact, it wouldn't seem too far fetched. The child seemed happy and if Hermione hadn't known him, she would never suspect that it was a monster sitting there. No, he seemed to very much adore the young girl. 

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the end credit rolled down the screen and Hermione wanted to vanish. This was just too much. The whole war just washed over her. It made her skin cold and sweat and Jill just gave her a weird look. She didn't comment though. She had learn to accept that something was off about her cousin. 

Hermione's eyes followed Malfoy and the little girl. He hadn't seen her at least. Hermione wouldn't quite know how to cope with that. If he had confronted her. If he had attacked her. He was a Death Eater after all. Hell, it was obvious the man didn't want to be found. Of course he would attack her if he saw her. Who in hiding would take that risk? 

"I just remembered that I have a few errands to make. It will be quick. I can find the way to your place alone." Hermione didn't want to be rude and she really hoped that she didn't offend Jill. She just couldn't bring herself to let the wanted man out of her view. After all, she was an Auror. It was her god damn job. Even if she currently did a horrible attempt at it. 

Jill only smiled. "That's fine. I'll cook up some dinner. Homemade pizza sound good?" Hermione's eyes lit up momentarily. "God yes, I was hoping you'd make that during my stay. There's just nothing quite like it." Hermione beamed, before waving her goodbyes. She was quick to move, and the second Jill wasn't able to see her face longer, a dark and determind look washed over her. 

Her hand was lingering near her hidden wand. She was ready to grasp for it when it was needed. The former gryffindor student didn't exactly know what she was gonna do. She knew what she was supposed to do. Bring him in. It was her duty as an auror. She spotted the pair and followed them. She managed to keep just out of sight and trailed them closely. 

Nothing suspicious. Just a father and a daughter walking down the street. Hermione wondered who else the girl had in her life. A mother probably? Aunts? Uncles? Grandparents. She did have Narcissa. Who was going to take care of the little girl while Draco Malfoy had to pay for his crimes? Her heart clenched a little at the thought of the young child. Once more Hermione wished she never saw them. 

The weather was starting to turn ill, and small dropplets of water fell down, and Hermione pulled the hood on her jacket over her hair. Her hair rarely responded well on water. The crowd in the street got busier, people trying to evacuate from the rain. Just minutes before, people had been relaxing, talking, sitting along benches and stairs. Now everyone tried to get away. 

These busy feet caused Hermione to walk straight into a old woman, which almost fell to the back. Hermione gasped, and quickly grasped grip on the woman, held her so she wouldn't trip. "Oh, i'm so sorry! I didn't mean to crash into you." Hermione apologized on default as she moved away, not willing to leave blond out of her sight. But she must of been too loud when apologizing. 

Because suddenly Hermione locked eyes with the one and only Draco Malfoy.  
And if she ever had been in doubt whether or not it actually was him and not only a lookalike, the Malfoy scowl on his face and the stern look, was proof enough. Despite his scowl, he certainly appeared to have seen a ghost. 

Hermione's heart skipped a beat and she grabbed for her wand. Expecting the worst. Expecting a fight. This was finally the time to fight back for all those bad words, for all the pain he had caused both her but so many others as well. Her grip on her wand was tight.  
As for Malfoy, she didn't expect him to be stupid enough to let a witness of him walk around without fixing that mistake. Especially not an auror, especially not one of the Golden Trio. 

Much to Hermione's utter surprise, whay happened was that Malfoy in a swift move picked up the young girl, holding her thight to him. For a split second there were a look in his eyes, Hermione couldn't read at all. Then he broke eye contact and rushed off to a cab. Leaving the brunette confused. This just didn't make sense. Why didn't he apparate? Why did he chose a muggle choice?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> reviews are always nice!


	3. Draco Bloody Malfoy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> hermione sinks deeper into a confusing obsession with the assumed dead death eater

She just stood there. Blinking. Numb. Out of loop. Just. Wondering. What on earth was happening? Why didn't he use magic? Of course magic left traces but Malfoy was a skilled magican and beside, now that she had seen him, why would it matter? It just didn't make sense to her at all. 

With that she watched a wanted man run away and she was unable to do anything.

Hermione's days off were coming to an end, and she tried her best to enjoy the few days left with Jill. And she did enjoy it, but her mind was distracted. 

This time, Hermione cancelled her plane ticket and obted to floo back to the U.K. Everyone was to say it mildly shocked when Hermione came to her office only to let people know she was taking a few weeks more off. 

Both Harry and Ron found it odd. When did Hermione Granger ever just take a few WEEKS off? Never. This one week had basically been forced upon her. They were happy she made the choice but neither of the two men could shake off the feeling that it was something off about the whole thing. It was much too unlike their female bestfriend. While they hoped her cousin had done a good job at showing her the upsides of a good vacation, they both just couldn't bring themselves to believe that. 

Hermione on the other side, was far too occupied to take notice of her friends really. She needed sort this matter out. She didn't catch the worried looks her friends gave her the few times she met up with them.

At first she had made up her mind to just stay in the states until she found the blond ferret. But after some more thinking, she decided that perhaps it was best to go back and gather as much infomation she could on him before going after him. She was afterall still a school student by heart and preferred to read up on a subject before diving into it. During her Hogwarts days it had become quite useful, considering her two partners in crime didn't quite understand the point of books and studying.

So there she was, digging through the ministry's archieve. It was loads of files. All from the ministry's interigations of people surrounding Draco Malfoy's disappearance to his school records to paper articles. 

Almost every waking hour, she spent diving deeper and deeper into this void of information and she didn't get wiser. She had never really cared too much about the man's disapperance. She had, just...generally avoided the subject. Draco Malfoy was a sore spot in her life. He had been a pain in her ass since they started school. He had been the constant reminder that she wasn't good enough. That she wasn't a real witch. As if the magic flowing in her veins were a huge faux. A reminder to what life she could of had and did not. 

Hermione Granger had met Draco Malfoy once before the start of their first year at Hogwarts. A meeting she wished to forget. Addressing the young Death Eater so much time, energy and not to mention effort, made her not only frustrated but also angry. There were a reason she did not want to think about him. Hell, he had been witness to her being tortured in his own family home. By his aunt! It was insane. She wasn't made for this. 

"Bloody hell!" she suddenly screamed , or perhaps it was more like a gasp and threw the current folder against wall in the midst of her research. "I am going mental. Snap out of it, Hermione. Snap. Out. Of. It!" She felt stupid tears press. She would not cry over the subject of Draco Bloody Malfoy. Apparently he was more of a trigger to her than she had ever let herself acknowledge. Why didn't she just go straight to her superiors? Tell them what she had seen? If only she knew the answer herself.

She was getting nowhere, and nor did she know what she was looking for. Everything she had on the assumed dead Malfoy heir was oddly vague and brief. Nothing new and certainly nothing useful. She had been using countless hours on this. Reading through everything. Re-reading everything. 

She just knew that she had the strangest gutfeeling in the midst of this self inflicted nightmare. A gutfeeling telling her not to go to her bosses with this even if it was all that made logical sense. Perhaps it was due to the way she and her friends has solved the mysteries at Hogwarts, sneaking around and all. Maybe she just hadn't come to terms with the fact that she was a grown woman, an professional auror. 

Maybe she should just call it quits and tell Harry and Ron at least. She went to her small kitchen and made herself a cup of tea. The brunette stared out her kitchen window and found herself wishing back to their first years at Hogwarts. When good and evil had a clear line. Either you were one of the good guys or one of the bad guys. There were no grey areas. People did good because they were good people. Not because they were harvesting rewards. Evil people did evil things because they were evil. Not because they had been forced into it. 

Or. You arrested bad people straight away, not waiting for a reason not to because of a young child.   
Hermione had convinced herself that Draco Malfoy was not only a prick and blood puritist, but also straight forward evil. Just like his father. There weren't an ounce of good in him. This was something she had managed to hold onto since her first year at Hogwarts. Until now. Until she saw him along with that child. The love those two shared was undoubtable real. She had come to terms with that. 

With a flick of her wand, every folder, every piece of paper, was laid neatly in a pile and she locked it away for the night. Perhaps it was best to just never think of it again. Let Draco Malfoy have this one. A head turned the other way. How many aurors must of done the same to variours wanted people up through the times? Many. She was sure of that. Aurors were only people too after all. 

She decided to cut this sudden, certainly unhealthy, obsession with her former bully short. She had more important cases to use her energy on. The ministry was overwhelmed by cases tracing back to far beyond Lord Voldemort's terror. Hermione occasionally wondered if the employes of the ministry ever actually did anything. Or perhaps everyone had been too busy hiding their own skeletons to care about other crimes. 

Hermione went to bed, and surprisingly quick fell to sleep. But it was far from a peaceful sleep. Nightmares haunted the young witch. She tossed and turned. She had seen too many die, seen too many tortured, wounded and killed. She had seen more than most people would in their life. She had been through more than most people would. The years of the war had taken it's toll on everyone and the brightest witch of her year wasn't an exception. A good night's sleep was a thing of the past and she just had to deal with that. 

What she didn't know though, when she laid down to rest that night; was exactly how upside down her life would turn. 

After all; all good things comes to an end and the dark side of life always comes crawling back. No matter how many times you defeat it.

Hermione woke suddenly, an unfamiliar sound waking her abruptley.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> reviews are always welcome


	4. Lion's den

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hermione recieves a letter and she doesn't know how to react

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would first like to thank buttons1721 for checking in on every chapter! 
> 
> Also; the torture scene between hermione and bellatrix from the seventh book is in this fanfiction set during the summer before their sixth year. It's also altered (will be mentioned/shown in later chapters)

Hermione couldn't grasp what the sound actually was at first, until she realized it sounded like a bird picking and scratching on her window. She grasped for her wand. "lumos." She had been right; it was a bird. Outside her bedroom window an unknown owl was desperately picking it's beak against the glass. She had never seen the owl before, and wrinkled her nose. No wonder she woke up. She could tell from the way owls picked on her window, who they were. It had occured to her sometime during the war that it was possible. The sounds coming from this owl was unlike any other. It was desperate, as if the letter was personal from the owl's point of view. 

Still with sleep fogging her mind, she opened her window and let the owl in. It almost collapsed on her nightstand. Poor bird. The young witch accepted the letter. 

The envelope was black. It was odd. In those sleepy thoughts that was all the gryffindor princess registrated. It was odd. A black envelope. 

Hermione Granger was written on it in a beautiful silver ink writing. But the name's wearer was too tired to really think over how her name was written. She opened the envelope. It's strange isn't it? How someone can be barely awake, but certain things can make your brain suddenly wake up and you've never felt more awake. This is what happened to the sleepy witch. 

The second she laid her eyes on the text, she snapped awake. Her brown eyes widened and her heart clenched.   
"Meet me where you first met me. Alone. No one can see us. If not for me; for the child's sake. We need your help. Tonight after dawn."  
She realized whom it was from. It was bloody obvious. Hell, the envelope should of warned her off. And it sent her into a fit of messy emotions. Rage, grief, hate, relief, confusion. 

Rage because it was unfair, using a child as an excuse for getting her help. Draco Malfoy knew exactly what he was doing when mentioning the child. How on earth could Hermione refuse to help, or at very least meet up, when it was a child involved. An innocent young child. Bloody Malfoy.

Grief, because of where. Where they first met? Most people would assume it was at Hogwarts. She wished it was. She truly did because if that was the case, perhaps she never would of been in this situation even. Perhaps she would of turned him in the second she saw him. There wouldn't be a small room inside her heart that harbored grief for a friendship that could of blossomed, a friendship that could of become a beautiful thing, instead of the shattered hopes to overcome blood heritage. 

Hate because how did he dare? The man that had hurt her throughout her entire school career dared to ask her for help. Everything he stood for, everything he symbolized was pain and hate. Her tears and blood had been smeared on his floor and here he was seeking her help. It was a disgrace. It fueled a hate in Hermione which could turn her wicked. He should be grateful she never listened to the nagging voice in her head to get revenge over everyone that hurt her and all those she cared about. 

Why did she feel relief? She didn't even know the answer to this? Why was she feeling anything remotely close to relief? Was it because it meant that her withholding information was a wise move? She didn't even know if it was wise. She didn't know if this was a trap or a genuine plead for help. Even if it was, was it her place to help? Was it help she actually could give? Maybe he needed help to something dark and violent. She couldn't trust him. Which led to the last messed up feeling; confusion.

What on earth was she supposed to do? She didn't know. She knew she shouldn't even consider it. Her friends would be mad if they knew. Yet she couldn't help it. The images of the smiling blonde child was fogging her mind. The hope that everyone had a chance at redemption. Perhaps what made her most confused was the image of his eyes as he had ran away with the girl. She couldn't erase that image from her mind and nor could she understand what she had seen in his cold eyes. 

The letter in her hands suddenly turned warm. Not painful, but warm. She watched with a slight amaze as the parchment dissolved into ashes and fell out of her hands, onto the floorboards. So he had his hands on some magic apparently. At least enchanted objects, which was far more difficult to trace back. 

With a aching sigh, she made her way to her kitchen. It had become somewhat of a safe haven for her. It was silly, but the Granger family had always been fond of their kitchen. It was at the kitchen they bonded. It was at the kitchen she would spill her secrets to her mother. It was at the kitchen she would perform magic in front of her parents, which never got angry, scared or anything of sorts. Just accepted their child's gift. 

The curly witch wiped away a tear. She missed her parents so gravely. She didn't even know if they were alive or dead. They had vanished straight after she began her sixth year. She had taken leave from her education but never found them. Her and several others had been looking for clues but it was hopeless. After a while a witness came forward saying they had seen a masked man or woman entering the house. It all fell into the description of a death eater. She knew deep down that the odds for them being dead was high but she just couldn't help but still hold onto a small hope. 

Making herself breakfast; well it could hardly count as one. It consisted of a black coffee and that was really all to it. Eating wasn't really her strongest concern. She couldn't really be bothered with it. It all tasted ashes anyway. This was what her life had become. A sad woman drinking her coffee in a lonely dark kitchen. 

Maybe this was why she was so occupied with the ferret? To find some sort of point with her life again? She also realized the irony of the situation. Yesterday she had decided to forget about all this. Today she was making herself mentally ready to go see him.

Because she knew. The second she read the note that of course she would turn up. She would never manage not to. It was hopeless to try and reason with herself. She needed to know what this was all about. 

So hours later, nearing the hours of dawn, she pulled on her cloak. She made her way to an now abandoned playground just outside of Hogsmeade. The last time she had been there, it was a fun place for children to play when their parents were off shopping. It was also where Hermione played for hours, learning to be without her parents. Of course, her parents would be wandering around Hogsmeade, looking, wonder, and generally learn about wizards and witches. They had been so weary about letting Hermione go to an school all by herself.

Now, Hermione held nothing but aching pain at the place, and felt a lump grow in her throat as she pulled the cloak tight around herself. She wasn't here to reminisce, she was here to meet the infamous Draco Malfoy. All alone. Without having told a soul. Her hand was clenching her wand so tight, her nails digging so deep inside her skin she almost drew blood.


	5. Mione

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Short but better than nothing!

Hermione kissed her mother's cheek and smiled brightly. "Just go, i'll be fine!" The child was impatient to get to the playground. Her parents were weary but knew they had to let her go. In a couple months, she would be leaving for Hogwarts. A school of magic. All by herself. How would they cope? She was their baby girl and it sounded horrible sending her away like that.

It terrified them but the way their daughter's eyes lit up when she discovered this side of herself, made it all worth it. For years they had been at loss at what to do with their daughter. She had a good life and she never complained but she just never fit in and it broke their hearts. They saw their beautiful daughter's eyes filled with sadness and pain from never feeling like she belonged anywhere. She didn't need to say it, they knew just by looking at her.

So, when she learned that she was a witch, they were thrilled. Finally everything made sense; finally she could find people she could fit in with. It scared them. Of course it did. Yet they never let their own fear get to her. No matter what she was, she was their daughter and they would do anything to make her happy and let her have a good life. 

So as her parents walked into the small village, she waited patiently for her new friend to show up. She was so happy; a giddy feeling in the pit of her stomach. She had finally found a friend. The nicest boy she had ever met. He didn't say hurtful things to her at all. He was just great.   
After a while he did show up.   
"Hey Draco!" Hermione waved and the boy, jist as old as her came running, a bright grin on his face. "Hey!" He beamed with a slight pant. "You'll never guess what father bought me ; a new broom!" Hermione's eyes squinted and it was obvious she didn't understand why a new broom would be exciting. Was it common for wizards to enjoy sweeping floors? It made no sense to her. 

As the blond boy saw her confusion, he started laughing. "I suppose no one has told you that we have flying broomsticks?" The reply he recieved was a blinking pair of eyes, causing him to laugh harder. "Oh, Mione, you have so much to learn! Can't wait till we get to Hogwarts. Hopefully you'll get sorted into Slytherin, then we can hang out always." He was talking fast, obvious excitement almost bubbling over. 

Hermione was so grateful Draco was going to attend Hogwarts as well, since she didn't know anyone else from the magical world. She also hoped they would wind up in the same house. It would be so much fun. 

The two had a great time and Hermione was listening with open ears and wide eyes as Draco explained this new world for her. He told her about the most wonderful things. About moving pictures (which was perhaps the only thing Hermione could somehow imagine considering all her vhs tapes). About wizards chess. About potions. About unicorns and dragons. It was all too wonderful and Hermione could barely contain her excitement. 

Eventually as her parents returned, Hermione bid goodbye and they were already excited for their next meeting. 

As they left, Hermione was content and blissful for knowing someone as great as Draco Malfoy. 

~ * ~ 

Face to face with Draco Malfoy. Every muscle in her body was tense, her body ready to attack if it was needed. He was cloaked as well. His pale skin was impossible to miss though. He was, if possible, even paler than she remembered him.

"Granger." It was strange; hearing Malfoy say her name without the usual spite and hate she remembered from their Hogwarts days. Now, it sounded more like a greeting at work. As if they met in the hallway, on their way to their offices. 

It was also strange hearing his voice. It was a voice she hadn't heard in years and she had never really thought about how his voice sounded like until now. 

"Is she yours?" She had no time for formalities however. She was her due to the child. At least, that was what she was telling herself. It was bad lie and she knew it. Even if the child was also part of the reason. 

Malfoy nodded. "My own flesh and blood." There were a sense of pride in his words. A proud father's words. Hermione nodded but didn't know what to say. Didn't know what to do. "We need to hurry. She's alone and asleep. I need to get back to her." Malfoy added and once more recieved a nod. "Then tell me why you need me." she replied, coldly (but perhaps not as cold as she wanted). 

Malfoy opened his mouth to speak, only to shut it. It took him some moments to actually say something. Yet when he did, Hermione felt a pang in her chest. A ache she didn't know how to dull and yet at the same time it was as if a void was filled in her heart that had been hollow and rotten for years. 

"Mione, I need your help. They're after us and I don't know if I can protect her for much longer." It was a soft plead, his voice fragile and hurting. She, for the first time since perhaps she punched him in the face in their third year, looked into his cool eyes and saw brutal pain. 

Maybe it was the way he spoke her name, perhaps it was the location, but Hermione Granger knew she had no choice but help the man she loathed.


	6. The rising

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Someone is rising to power and Hermione discovers something new about Malfoy

Hermione and Malfoy arrived at a small house somewhere she had no idea. It was old and it was in the middle of a regular muggle neighborhood. Not too safe either, the witch mused. The neighborhood itself gave no magical vibes but the second she took a step closer to the house Malfoy had led her to through a portkey, it hit her hard. The magic in the air was hard and impossible to miss. The house was warded. Incredible. 

"Why can I enter?" of course she would ask that. She had no time for anything else. She was a pratical and logical being. Malfoy gave her another one of those looks. Those she couldn't read and it irked her sort of. For most people it wouldn't be weird, not managing to read people's (whom they didn't know very well) expressions. Yet Hermione had always prided herself in being a skilled people reader. "It wouldn't make sense to bring you here if you couldn't enter. Beside you are the only one whom could help her." It didn't really answer her question. Or well the deeper meaning of her question. Had he chosen to change the wards to let her in; or had he never made the ward so that she would be kept out of it. 

The witch followed Malfoy inside. It was...awfully muggle alike. It even pulled a few nostalgic heart strings in her. This reminded her more of her childhood home than any of her magical friends homes.   
There were even a telly; and books scattered around the living room. As well as toys. Dolls and children's tea cup set. And drawings and puzzles. It was strangely cosy considering a Malfoy owned this; or at least lived there. 

The creaking from a door interupted Hermione's analyzis of the apparent family home. A young girl; the very same she had seen along with Malfoy at the cinema came into view. She was obviously sleepy and wearing her pj's and clutching a fluffy animal. The older witch couldn't help but raise her eyebrow as she realized the fluffy animal was in fact a lion. A red lion; a Gryffindor lion. 

It was no doubt that the child was indeed a Malfoy. Same hair; same eyes; same chin; in fact she looked much like Draco did himself as a child. "Dad? I couldn't sleep." she whined and didn't seem to react to the stranger in their house, Hermione noted, and deemed her a lesson in reasonable skepticism worthy. Malfoy gave his child a faint smiled and picked her up. "I know, I know. I'll read you a story." So Malfoy carried his child to her room. Without a word to Hermione. 

The witch blinked and looked around her. Well this was unexpected. Hermione Granger knew a whole lot; but how to raise a child wasn't one of them and she couldn't quite grasp why having to read and sing and all of that nonsense was supposed to be needed. The child should sleep when it was told to. 

So she took seat in a couch, and she could hear the faint sound of Malfoy reading some fairytale. She found herself being drawn into the story he was telling. All of sudden he wasn't her school bully, her enemy. He was the young boy she had spent hours playing with on this exact playground. It tugged once more, at that one string. A year ago, Hermione would laugh if anyone expected her to believe Draco Malfoy out of all people would be able to tug a string in her heart. 

Truth to be told, ever since the war, nothing really tugged properly at any string within her heart. The war had affected everyone differently. Harry and Ron had grown closer. Harry had married Ginny. They all sought comfort in each other. They would talk. Oh god how much they would talk and talk and just talk. Re-live every moment of the war to cope. To process it. To come to terms with everything which had happened. 

It was sensible, it was smart, it was what everyone should indeed do. However, for once the know-it-all Granger couldn't follow logic. She just couldn't. A wall build itself up around her. It only grew thicker and thicker by each passing day. Harry, Ron, Ginny and Luna had given up on trying to get her to open up. They had tried countless times to get her to talk. It always failed though. Always. 

Neville had kept up the hope for longer than the others. Hermione had admired him for it. She had admired Neville Longbottom for a lot of reasons. When they first met she had, like everyone else, just seen a clumpsy, weak child whom certainly didn't fit into Gryffindor. Then he tried to stop them. From one of their very first adventures. He had always been brave. Braver than most. Just in the most humble manner ever.

She had admired him for not losing hope. During school, the war, during something as silly as trying to break down her walls. How someone who had suffered at the hands of Voldemort as badly as him could keep on hoping was impossible for her to comprehend properly. Having lost his parents to insanity would certainly kill her hope. 

It clenched. Her heart. As if on a commando from her brain. Whenever the thought of parents crossed her mind; her heart needed to clench. As if it was stabbed. She wanted her mom. She wanted her dad. A deep breath. Shake it off, Hermione. You need to keep focus. You are in the lion's den right now. 

The curly witch tore herself away from her mind and continued to take in her surroundings. Even with the strong magical vibe, there were no magical objects in sight. No self washing dishes. No magical clock. Raising from the couch, she began moving about in the living room, taking in every little detail. A bookshelf took her attention. Her fingers trailed the book titles. Muggle literature. Narnia, The Brothers Lionheart, Treasure Island. All muggle titles; all fairy tales. Perhaps he couldn't let go of the magical? Suddenly in the midst of books, she noted a familiar, an all too familiar title. The tales of Beedle the Bard. 

She gently removed the book from it's place. As she opened the book slightly, a soft gasp escaped her lips as a lot of pages fell out and hit the floor. She quickly went down on her knees and scurriedly tried to collect them all. She did however note that it seemed to be a lot of handwritten letters. And notes. "Dear Draco." One of them opened with. She knew she shouldn't read, but she couldn't help it. 

"I hope you are safe. I know you must be hurting but you need to keep going. For our sake. I shed tears for you every night my dear Drag-" 

"Bloody gryffindors and their inability to keep their noses for out of other's business." Malfoy's voice drawled dryly, and Hermione looked up to see him crossing his arms, looking less than impressed with her. Her cheeks flushed and she quickly rose to her feet and tried to stash all the letters and parchments inside the book again, failing to do so. Malfoy took it all from her hands and elegantly neatly tucked the pile inbetween pages and put the book back in it's place. 

Sharpening her mind, Hermione gave a small scoff, and her flushed expression was gone and once more she appeared cool and almost cold. She did moreso these last years. "Why am I here, Malfoy? You better have a good reason considering you're a Death Eater and I'm a Auror." Hermione spoke sternly. She needed to know if she had made the right call. Malfoy sighed, and ran a hand through his hair. It was as if her words made him crumble slightly. 

"You know The Carrows?" Hermione only nodded. Of course she did. The ministry was still actively looking for those two sadistic twins. No bodies were recovered after the war and people were more than eager to see them put in trial. For many; those two had been one of the first proper experience with Voldemort terror. 

"They are rising. They have been hiding, recruiting people from all over the world and they are after blood." His words hit like a million bricks straight in her face. Not a single trace of the twins and now Malfoy of all people was saying that they were rising. From what? 

"They are deadly, Granger. They were some of the most loyal followers and also some of the most insane out of them. Along with my aunt, Crouch Jr and LeStrange, they were the most terrifying. Now? With recruites? They will stop at nothing." There was no point disbelieving the former Slytherin's words. He spoke with the same horrified seriousness which Harry had done after he escaped Voldemort, that night Cedric died. 

Hermione's eyebrows suddenly crunched and her expression was hit with a sudden flash of confusion. "But why are you and your daughter in danger?" She couldn't understand why Malfoy appeared to be so frightened. Surely it must be scary for any parent but Malfoy had been one of them. 

"Because I betrayed them, Hermione. You really thought I vanished without a reason?" the blond replied dryly and met her eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reviews are very welcome


	7. The cold truth.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What happens when everything Hermione thought is flipped upside down? She learns more than she wanted to know.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally a lot of questions will be answered! Also, thing's are getting complicated and not to mention dangerous for our favorite Witch.

"You betrayed them? The Carrows? Voldemort? Excuse me for wanting a little more details from a Death Eater." This time it was Hermione's turn to speak dryly. While she had no seconds doubt that The Carrow twins were a verified threat she still didn't trust Malfoy. Malfoy's expression darkened, his jaw tightened. Perhaps he didn't want to tell more than he did, but he had to be a fool if he expected Hermione to go along his tune with little to no information.

The brunette watched the former Slytherin make his way to a locked cabinet. Unlocking it, he pulled out a bottle of whiskey, the muggle sort, along with two glasses. "I _was_ a death eater, Granger." She snorted. "But not by the end of the war. Then I was a runaway." He poured the liquor into both glasses and handed her one. Accepting, she sat down in the couch. Drank, unphased. She had grown an appetite for whiskey. Not madly enough to grow into an addiction but she could surely understand why people fell into a pit of drinking. Malfoy raised an eyebrow at her before continuing to talk.

"I was branded before New Year our fifth year." The blond once more spoke but was cut off by Hermione. "During our fifth year? I thought you was busy with your disgraceful Inquisitorial Squad." the witch spat. A hollow laughter filled the room. "Considering you were supposed to be the brightest witch of them all, you were bloody blind. I never cared about that stupid Squad. Umbrigde was a bloody nasty toad. It was a great cover though. You were all so busy with your little Army, and being frightened by the Squad you didn't see the full picture. By the time the Squad located your silly army, I had done horrible things. Nasty things. And none of you ever suspected it even." Hermione's eyes widened and she clenched her glass. Her eyes narrowed and she felt uneasy. It was a hard truth to face. Because it was indeed the truth. They had always dismissed the Malfoy heir as nothing more than a silly school bully. A young coward with no proper motivation or anything. Draco bearing the dark mark back then didn't even cross their minds. Oh the fools they had been.

"Surprised, Granger? That I was the youngest Death Eater marked? Worst was that it wasn't because of my family even. Voldemort despised my father. He was weak and pathetic and excuse me if I sound cocky, but the only reason he lived after your battle in the Ministry was because of me. Because he was related to me." Hermione drained her glass and shoved it towards Malfoy. "I think I've heard enough. You were a gruesome Death Eater. That's not really a good excuse to help you. In fact, I should turn you in instead." She was getting angry. Here he was, telling tales of how bloody great he was at being a monster. She rose from her seat, getting ready to leave. This was a waste of her time.

Malfoy flinched. For just a split second. His eyes found hers. Boring into them. "My apologizes. You can take the man out of the monster, but never the monster out of a man." Should she stay? Every logical fiber in her body was telling her not to. Yet logic was slipping more and more away from Hermione. She kept the stare, looking into the eyes of her school bully "Continue."

"As you know, the Malfoy Manor was used to keep prisoners. Many. At the time it didn't bother me. To be perfectly honest, I was perfectly fine with it. So while the lot of you so called heroes was meddling with useless piss, and falling for stupid traps, not to mention, giving my aunt the perfect opportunity to kill that sorry excuse of a relative of mi-" Before the blond wizard could even finish his sentence, Hermione had her wand out, aiming straight at his nose. The former Slytherin gave a hollow smile, and muttered words, and along with a flick of his hand, she was wandless.

The brunette widened her eyes, gulping, taking a step back. She hadn't seen this coming. Her breath was heavy, her muscles was in alert mode. "Don't worry, Granger. I'm not gonna hurt you, but I do need you to listen. So sit the fuck down and listen. Or we all gonna die." With her head held high, Hermione did as told, her chin clenched.

"One of my assignments were to get information. From everyone. From students, from teachers, wealthy people, poor people. And our prisoners. And it sure wasn't pretty. I did some gruesome shit. I did just about anything you could ever think of and I didn't bloody care. That's how _brainwashed_ I was. The boy you knew? He was gone. My Father never forgave me for the two of us." Memories flashed for her eyes, memories of the two of them, smiling, laughing. Then the furious rage Lucius Malfoy displayed to his son and her, when he caught his son bonding with a muggle born. The memory stung. "He groomed me so well for the role of a devoted Death Eater, he eventually grew to fear what I had become." Draco's eyes were cold, distant. The hairs on Hermione arms rose, and a eerie feeling was filling her, choking her almost.

The pale boy, no man, lifted his glass to his lips, his knuckles white from clenching it. "Then all of sudden, it all came crashing down. I was told to torture a girl. No problem, I said. It never was. I didn't even ask why. It didn't matter too much to me. And I did. The first time I went down. I didn't even look at her face. I just sent curses her way. Her screams were shattering. When I decide it to give her some rest. Which translates to I had to, otherwise would her body give up and she would just die. Then she dared to talk. Not the usual 'Save me', 'let me go', 'i'll never tell anyone'. No, no, no. 'Draco.' ' _Draco_ 'That's what she said. But it got me looking at her. For the first time in ages, I actually looked at her, at a victim. I've never left the dungeon in such a hurry." The glass shattered. Draco didn't seem phased at all, but it brought a gasp from Hermione. The tear slipped from her eye. The one whom had been threatening to fall for quite some time now.

Malfoy looked at Hermione. He sought her eyes, and wouldn't let go of them as he continued. "Have you ever experienced it? When everything in your life is turned upside down? That one life changing moment? When everything you've ever lived for is tested? When all your truths just crumble under you?" The brunette gulped. She didn't dare to move or say anything. "I couldn't sleep. I just heard her weak cry, my name on her lips. Over and over again. Suddenly it hit me. We were classmates! I had just used hours torturing someone I had spent years, bloody _year_ attending the same classes with. She was a hufflepuff. A fucking sweet girl. And I almost killed her."

"All of sudden, it was as if I was waking up from a dream. I couldn't stand it. Nothing. Everything that happened at manor, I just couldn't stand it. I used every excuse I had to avoid going back down there. Everything which was happening around me made me feel sick. Every truth I had been learned, manipulated to believe since I was a child, I was starting to doubt them all. Then you three manage to get fucked over and all of sudden you are laying on my floor." Hermione flinched. It was the one memory she tried to avoid. She had been through so much, but never had she felt more powerless than then. Bellatrix LeStrange had stripped her off her dignity and nothing would fix that.

"You were the only person I had ever experienced any sort of true friendship with, and there you were, under my aunt's wand, screaming."

"Shut up, Malfoy, just shut the fuck up!" Hermione snapped and more tears were filling her brown eyes. "Don't you even dare to talk about it!" She hissed, and her body was trembling. She was raging. At this point her anger was too strong to even think about Malfoy's apparent wandless magical abilities. She pulled herself up from the couch. "I don't want to hear more from you. You call me your "only" bloody friend and you just _let_ your aunt do that? She nearly killed me! She _raped_ my dignity, Draco!" Her voice cracked and her tears were flowing freely. In a swift motion she located her wand, whom had landed on the floor, and made her way to the exit. Her hand grabbed the door handle.

Yet she froze completely. In the matter of a few seconds, she knew exactly what he meant about having your life flipped upside down.

"I saved them!" He didn't just say that? Her heart skipped a beat.   
"I couldn't save you, so I saved them. I betrayed Voldemort the night I saved your parents." A small sob escaped the witch's lips. She turned to look at the man whom had fucked her over so many times. The man she once had cherished, then hated, the man she still hated. "Don't tell me lies, Draco. I can handle all your bloody bullshit except that. Don't fucking lie to me about my parents."

"I'm not lying. When you three managed to escape, Voldemort was furious. He almost killed Bellatrix for failing, as well as my parents. Then he sent the Carrow's out on a mission to kill your family. Retaliation. He ordered me down in the dungeon again, ordering me to torture everyone and letting them know what would happen if someone tried to escape. I almost protested. Hadn't it been for my mother, I would have. But she pushed me along before I could say anything. When we were away from everyone else, she cast a silence charm over the room so no one could hear us." Hermione was fighting the urge to run. A part of her wanted to run. This all was choking her to put it mildly. Draco paused a bit, gulping. His eyes weren't dark anymore. They were full of...regret? Maybe? No, no, no, she wouldn't fall for this crap of his. He was a master manipulator. He wasn't going to get her to her with this shit.   
"Then we spoke. For the first time since in almost a year. She never did see eye to eye with my father on the matter, and when I turned out worse than him, she didn't dare to talk to me. "You're not your father anymore, Draco." She said to me. My mother pushed me over to the light, at least there were a spark of light in that direction. Instead of torturing the prisoners, we let them free. The girl, she was too weak to escape. So I had to bring her with me. I hid her away while waiting for my mother to owl me where to find those Carrow twins. When I did, I trailed them. Attacked them. Tried to kill them. I obviously didn't manage it, but at least I managed to get your parents to safety."

Hermione's heart was beating fast, and she had no way to process everything the Slytherin prince had just said. "I'm sorry, Hermione, for everything. I'm sorry for everything I did, for not saving you from my aunt. If I could go back in time and change it, I would. But I can't. The only thing I can assure you, is that your parents are safe." Hermione choked back a sob. "I can't Draco. I c-c-can't." she stuttered, and it was as if her mind was blocking all this info. "This is just too much. I can't." Gone was all sense of rationality. She yanked the front door up, running away from this all.

She wanted to run from life. None of this was true. It had to be a fucked up nightmare. This wasn't real. This just wasn't fair. Malfoy was a lying git. If he had saved her parents, why didn't she find them? Why didn't he _tell_ her? Why would someone want anyone to believe their parents to be dead? It was as if every ghost from her entire life came back, haunting her. The only thing she knew now, was that she needed to get away from this place. Even if she had no idea where she was, she knew she had to get the bloody hell away from this obscure monster. Because Draco Malfoy was indeed a monster, with or without a child. 

  
" _Confringo!_ " It happened all too fast. Suddenly she couldn't see anything but sharp bright light. " _Confringo!_ " Explosions surrounding her, and by pure luck she managed to avoid the obvious curses thrown her way. Luck wouldn't last too long however. " _Confringo!_ " It didn't hit her, but a tree beside, and the heavy explosion struck her, sending her flying. 

" _Hermione_!" She managed to make out Draco's voice screaming out. " _Expelliarmus!_ " The bright blue light was blinding the young witch. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reviews are very much welcome. Things are heating up now!

**Author's Note:**

> please review!


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